The presently disclosed embodiments are directed toward processing images to be printed on or to be associated with specular or mirrored substrates or media so that a reflected image can be combined with the printed image. Embodiments will be described with reference to novelty items product packaging, such as cereal boxes. However, embodiments may be employed wherever it is desired to combine a printed image with a reflected image.
Accidental and intentional double exposures resulting in combined images are known. Additionally, mathematical techniques for combining digital images have been described. For example, European Patent Application 0447197 A2 by Joel D. Gengler, titled “Digital Image Blending on a Pixel-by-Pixel Basis”, discusses a digital image blending circuit which lets a user draw several planar images and then sum them together. However, these techniques are not readily adaptable to reflected images and novelty items and product packaging.